STILL ALIVE OR ALREADY DEAD? - ELŻBIETA WICHROWSKA

The book "Still Alive or Already Dead?" by Elżbieta Wichrowska is a fascinating journey into the depths of 19th-century reflections on life, death, and memory. The author analyzes the schizophrenic split of that era, where, alongside the adoration of deceased loved ones, the objectification of foreign corpses appears. It is a study of how Polish Romanticism shaped the perception of emigrants and their bodies, becoming a metaphor for the fate of Poland itself. The survival of the memory of the dead becomes a symbol of the survival of the nation.

• In-depth analysis of 19th-century attitudes towards death
• Study of Polish Romanticism and its influence on the perception of emigration
• History of the corpses of Joachim Lelewel, Fryderyk Chopin, and Antoni Ostrowski
• Reconstruction of thinking about the Great Emigration as a family
• Metaphor of the corpse of a Polish refugee as the corpse of Poland
• Reflections on the survival of the Polish nation through the memory of the dead

In the 19th century, we observe a fascinating split in the approach to death. On the one hand, we adore the corpses of loved ones, trying to preserve their presence through various artifacts. On the other hand, the corpses of strangers are treated as objects, stripped of sacredness and human dignity. They become merely objects devoid of identity.

In Polish Romanticism, the corpses of emigrants occupy a special place. The stories of the corpses of Joachim Lelewel, Fryderyk Chopin, and Antoni Ostrowski are representative examples of this phenomenon. The actions taken around these dead allow us to reconstruct a certain way of thinking about the Great Emigration as a family, as well as about the corpse of a Polish refugee as the corpse of Poland. The proper securing of these corpses became an opportunity for the resurrection of the homeland.

Elżbieta Wichrowska analyzes in her book how the survival of the Polish corpse becomes a symbol of the survival of Poland. It is a profound study of memory, identity, and nation, which forces us to reflect on our approach to history and heritage. This book is not only a historical analysis but also an attempt to understand how the past influences our present and future.

"Still Alive or Already Dead?" is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of Poland, Romanticism, and reflection on death. It is a book that provokes thought and remains in memory long after reading. Published by Słowo/Obraz Terytoria in 2022, in hardcover and in the format 200x261 mm, it has 324 pages.